My First Wedding!
Last September, my cousin Christine got engaged and planned to get married in June. I was not only excited for her but excited because I had never been to a wedding before. On Thursday, June 12th, the wedding festivities started. After my family ran some errands, we went to pick my dad’s and my tuxedos. We saw JC, my soon-to-be cousin-in-law there with his groomsmen who we met for the first time. That night, we met at the church to rehearse the wedding; such as when Christine and the brides maids walk up the aisle, and the hymn that was to be sung and the procession out of the church, when the wedding is over. After this, we went to Willington Pizza House to have our rehearsal dinner there. The people that were there were Christine, JC, my parents, my sister, my aunt, the brides maids Catherine, Allie, and Victoria, the groomsmen, Andre, Joe, and Josh, and I and six more people. It was a lot of fun. We ordered cheese pizza, Hawaiian pizza, and the Widow Maker Pizza, which had meatballs, pepperoni, and sausage. I wish I had more of it; it was great! I had a great night getting to know the groomsmen, and despite the fact they are older than me, we had a great time joking around as we talked over pizza. The dinner went until ten, and when we all left, we were all tired but had had a great time.
The next day was the day before the wedding, and my family and I went over to the Nathan Hale Inn to help set up for the reception. We covered the tables with white tablecloths then blue tablecloths over those. The rest of the time was mostly spent making the tables look fancy and setting up the dessert table; my dad, JC, and I did most of the taste-testing to make sure the food was okay! Despite all the work we did, we all had a fun time. We went home and got ready for the next day, the wedding day. We were all so excited!
The next morning, we all woke up early and got dressed and got ready to go. My mother and my sister went to get their hair and make-up done with Christine and the bride’s maids at the Nathan Hale Inn, and my dad and I went outside and met up with JC and the grooms’ men to play basketball. We all shot to see who would be the captains. I scored on my first shot; it took everyone else much longer, but finally Josh scored. I chose Andre, then JC to make up my team; Josh then chose my dad and Joe. We all had a blast, but were very sweaty by the time the game was done but of course we all forgot to bring water! My team won 12-8, and I scored two baskets. After this we went into the Nathan Hale Inn and took a quick and refreshing dunk in the pool before going back to our room to shower, before heading down to lunch, in our very own private meeting hall!
After lunch, we got all dressed, and then everyone, except my dad, got to ride to the church in a limo. We joked around in the limo and it was a lot of fun, since it was my first limo ride. Josh was the radio operator, and he was finding all the love songs on the radio; Joe did probably the best rap I have ever heard! Josh was the usher for people sitting on the groom’s side, and I was the usher for the bride’s side, and Joe stood in the middle of the aisle to make sure people went down the sides and not the middle. We had everyone seated for ten minutes before the bride and the bride’s maids arrived. It was exciting for me that all of the groom’s men, which included me, got to stand on the altar with JC, not just the best man. The service went without a hitch and both JC and Christine said “I do”, so I had just witnessed my first marriage. After the service there was the normal receiving line, were all the members of the bridal party and of the groom’s men, and of course the bride and the groom, shook hands (or hugged) the people who came to the wedding. We all then took wedding pictures behind the church; after this the other groom’s men and bride’s maids and bride and groom took more pictures at the church, while my family, my aunt, and everybody else headed to the reception.
Cocktail hour had just begun when my family arrived at the reception. My parents and sister talked to one of my aunt’s friends, while I listened and munched on strawberries, cheese and crackers until the other groom’s men, bride’s maids, and the bride and groom came to the party. My sister and I rejoined them in the meeting hall in the hotel, where we gathered together again, this time to process to enter the reception in pairs, to lead up to Christine and JC being introduced for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. We all had to cross the dance floor, and had to do something funny as we walked across, to prepare for the first dance. Everyone clapped and cheered when J.C. and Christine were announced for the first time as husband and wife; right after reaching the dance floor they started their first dance to the song “So Close”. After a while, the rest of us paired up and joined in; Andre danced with Catherine, Josh with Victoria, Joe with Allie, and me with Rachel. After the dance, we all sat down and got ready for dinner. I was sitting next Joe. We were first served salad, as an appetizer before the meal. All the other groom’s men got steak, and most other people for that matter, but I got chicken with a delicious stack of potatoes. I finished it all except for a thin slice of the potatoes, which Joe and Andre polished off!
After dinner I talked to Andre, while Joe and Josh made the rounds from table to table. I got to know him a lot better, and we had a quite a few laughs too. After this I just hung around for a while, sampling some food from the dessert bar, talked with my Uncle Bob, and my Uncle Sonny, and my family and I tried out the photo-booth they had at the wedding, where you dressed up in silly costumes and had your picture taken. After that, people started dancing. My parents and my sister started dancing to the song “Do The Twist”. I was waved on by them but I tried to avoid going on the dance floor, but I finally gave in before the song was over. I surprised myself by pretty much dancing the rest of the night and with how many compliments on got on my dancing (It was actually the first time I had danced in my life!). Towards the end of the night I did stop dancing, and started to do other things. I watched Christsine and JC cut their wedding cake, and then, before the photo booth closed for the night I did photos with JC and the other groom’s men, and then with JC and his dad. Soon after, we had to leave, but not before taking home a slice or two of the wedding cake, and some pieces of dessert! We were all exhausted when we got home but we all had a ton of fun!
The next morning, we got up early again to go to a brunch from 9:00 to 11:00 at the Nathan Hale Inn. The brunch consisted of french toast, bacon, eggs, and orange juice, which was served to us by the hotel; it was all very good. Here I got to talk to my parents, grandparents, aunt and sister, and also say a disappointed good-bye to the other groom’s men, Joe, Josh, and Andre. Before we left though, I got to sit in and honk the horn on a 1938 Model T, that Christine’s high school art teacher’s husband owned. It was a really cool experience! The rest of the day we spent playing games with my dad, and giving him cards and his gift for Father’s Day. Later in the afternoon, my aunt, cousins Catherine, and Christine and J.C. came over to visit for a little while. My aunt and Catherine stayed longer since Christine and J.C. left for their honeymoon, where they were going to go to Sanibel Island in Florida! Eventually my aunt and Catherine left too. My family that night, had dinner, and then soon after went to bed, for we were all tired.
From Left to Right: Father Russel, Pastor Russel, J.C., Andre, Josh, Joe, and Me
The Wedding Rehearsal Reception
From Left to Right: Christine, Victoria, Catherine, Rachel, and Allie
Smile For The Camera
Opening The Gifts
Having A Laugh
Bride’s Maids Opening Their Gifts
The Aunt Of The Bride
The Cousins
Setting Up For The Reception
The Groom Sets The Table
Getting Fancy
Family
Letting Out The Excitement
The End Result!
Playing Basketball On The Wedding Day
Taking A Shot
At The Church
The Groom And The Groom’s men
The Flower Girl, Rachel
Bride’s Maid, Allie
Bride’s Maid, Victoria
Maid Of Honor, Catherine
The Bride And Her Mother
One Happy Groom
Standing On The Altar
Saying The Vows
Husband And Wife
Grandparents of The Bride
From Left To Right: My Uncle Sonny, sister, and me
My mom and me
The Whole Wedding Party
My Family And Me
The Reception
The Entrance
First Dance
The Dance Floor
Having Fun
The Cake Has Been Cut!
Down Comes The Bouquet!
All Smiles!
I had a blast at my first wedding, and it was even more fun since it was a member of my family! It was fun being there at every stage, from the rehearsal dinner, setting up for the reception, the wedding day, where I got to stand up on the altar with J.C., and ride in a limo, to going to a brunch the day after. Although it is hard to believe my cousin Christine is married, I’m glad I was there to celebrate it, and I had a great time in those four days!
Engine Class: Week 6/10/14
In the fall, I enrolled in the 4-H Piston Pushers Club, which helps you learn the parts of and how to fix up small engines, and then lets you bring in your projects to work on to show in the Tolland County 4-H Fair. For the first half of the year we disassembled and then assembled an engine to see the parts and where they fit together. Since then I have worked on an Ariens tractor a family friend gave to me. This week has put the tractor in the disaster category. When we started working on it, my friend Alex and I had to replace the magneto and the spark plug, and it seemed like that was going to be all. The next week we tried to start it. We were receiving spark, but it wasn’t starting. We spent the entire night trying to figure out what was wrong but failed.
The next class, my friend and I figured out that since the only other possibility was no compression, we figured out that the head gasket had blown. We took the engine apart down to this part. This class, we found a lot of problems. I worked on the tractor alone, for my friend had got his own tractor so he was working on his. At the end of class, disaster struck. I found out the head gasket was flooded with water, it was eroded and rusted inside, and the valve leading to the piston was broken! Mr. Hoffman, the club leader, said that the engine might not even be salvageable, and we might not even be able to salvage the tractor. I hope that it can be fixable. Only time will tell.
The Head Gasket
My Ariens Tractor’s Engine
I Guess I Still Have To Poddy Train It
Willington Baseball Nipped By Jewett City, 3-2
Jewett City- On Saturday, June 7th, 2014, my team, the Willington Baseball Team played at Jewett City. My team had lost it’s season opener, 11-4 at home to Jewett City, and we were looking for revenge. It was my first game of the season. In the first inning, we were ready to put up a fight, as Dan led off with a single into center, and would later be advanced to third with two outs. When he was at the third, the ball got by the catcher, and he sped off for home, but was tagged at home to end the inning. In the bottom of the first, things didn’t start off well, as the very first batter pop the ball up into foul territory by our dugout, and as our pitcher, Kienan ran to get it, the runner hit his leg just right to twist it and make him fall. He was okay luckily and ended up pitching a complete game. We didn’t get revenge though, since they scored a run, to take a 1-0 lead after one inning. No one would score again until the third, when my team came back. I was the third batter up in the inning, with Austin on first after a single, and one out. I attempted to bunt but missed the ball and then pulled back on another pitch since it was a ball. Then with the count two balls and one strike, the pitcher nailed me in the back with the ball, putting players on first and second. Two more players were walked, forcing in a run, to tie it and the bases were now loaded. I was at third when the ball got past the catcher, but it bounced off the backstop and right back to him, so I stopped halfway and made it back to third safely. I would make it home though, as the next batter walked to force me in to give my team the 2-1 lead, and this would be the score it would stay. In the bottom of the inning, I would be put in right field, where I would stay for the rest of the game.
In the fifth, I came up to bat again. After getting two balls on me, I fouled a ball way back almost fair, along the right field line. After another ball, I then fouled a ball straight back against the fence, before being walked. I would go to second after Jimmy got walked. While I was at second, the pitcher threw the ball back to the second baseman, but I was safe; however, the second baseman then faked a throw back to the pitcher and then whirled around and pushed me to try and get me out, but I barely kept my foot on base. I would make it to third but It would stay 2-1 until the bottom of the fifth, when Jewett City got players to first and second, with one out, when the batter grounded into a forceout at second. However, the umpire signaled that it wasn’t out and let the player go back to second! I still don’t know why he wasn’t out! This made the bases loaded with one out and the batter then ripped a two-run single into center, giving Jewett City a 3-2 lead. We would escape the inning with no more damage. In the sixth, we had another chance to score. Brandon got an infield single with one out, and then Josh E came to the plate. He bunted and was out at first, but Brandon sped to third. The ball looked like it was going to bounce by the third baseman, but he somehow stopped it, and as Brandon rounded third, he saw this and went to dive back but fell just short of the bag, and was tagged out. The top of the seventh was the final inning. Our chances weren’t too good, as our first two batters got out. Then Joe came to the plate and ripped a single to center putting me in the spotlight. I would walk on five pitches, putting players on first and second, and Jimmy at bat. He would hit a line drive right at the third baseman who caught it to end the game. With the loss our team record drops to 0-2; our next game is at Mansfield.
Despite the loss I had fun, and was pleased how I did for my first game of the season!
At The Plate
Happy Memorial Day!
Monday, May 26th my family gathered together for an evening dinner for Memorial Day and also to celebrate my cousin Catherine’s birthday. My family had a great classic summer dinner, with hamburgers, hot dogs, coleslaw, and two different types of potatoes! It was delicious! After polishing off our plates, my soon to be cousin-in-law JC came from work and had his dinner. We talked around the table and had quite a few laughs, which were mostly all caused by me and my aunt! After that, we went and watched Catherine open her presents and then I told all 20 of the jokes I had made up for the occasion! Let’s say the feedback was mixed. For dessert we all had a super cake. This cake was chocolate with chocolate and whip cream inside! Boy was it good, but rich! After cake, my aunt, my sister and I talked for a while while my dad and JC conversed as well as my mom, grandmother, and my cousins. After about an hour, we saw the time and my aunt, JC and my cousins headed home. We all had a great day and my cousin had a great birthday with the family!
Happy Birthday Catherine!
Opening Presents
A Visit To The Mark Twain House
On Friday, March 21st, my family and I went to the Mark Twain House in Hartford. This historical site now consists of the visitors center which holds a theater for a short film on Mark Twain’s life, and an exhibit dedicated to his servants. This site also, includes his house and his carriage house, where most of his servants lived. This site is right next to the Harriet Beecher Stowe House. The house itself was beautiful. It was a three-story home, and the first floor was complete with a living room, a dining room, a library and an indoor garden, and also a foyer for visitors once they enter the house. Every room was beautifully furnished, and the library had a very short bookcase, but it ran around most of the room. There was one more room next to the library but it was closed for remodeling. On the second floor, there was mostly bedrooms, and the children’s school room. The third floor was his billiard room, consisting of his writing desk and a pool table. His butler’s bedroom was located on the third floor as well. After that, we went down to the kitchen, which was the last room in the house. In the kitchen, their was a small window that looked into a dinette, so the chef could talk to the people he was cooking for.
I learned a few new things about Mark Twain besides just going to see his house. His original name was Samuel Clemens as most people know. However, most people don’t know how he got the name of Mark Twain; most people think he made it up for a pen name. However, he got this name when he was a river boat captain. The ships would have to measure the depth of the water; if it was at least 12 feet deep, the sailors would yell up to the captain “Mark Twain”, which meant Mark 12 feet. He liked this name so much he kept it for his pen name. As for his family, Twain had three daughters, and he also had a son, but who died at an early age, due to diphtheria. Twain blamed himself, because on a cold winter day, he and his 19 month old son took a carriage ride. He was so busy talking to the driver, that his son became uncovered, which he felt led to him catching a cold.
I had a lot of fun learning about Mark Twain, and had fun going to see his house. He was an interesting man who accomplished a lot in life, in literature, produced many famous quotes, and had a very serious sense of humor. His humor and wittiness can be seen in his quotes. I will leave you with two of my favorites: “When angry, count to four; when very angry, swear”; “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society”.
The Journey With Braces Is Over! (Hello Retainers.)
On St. Patrick’s Day (March 17, 2014), I finally got my braces off! It actually didn’t take that long, as the orthodontist used a tool to basically grind the braces off, so they disintegrated. The luck of the Irish was with me because it didn’t hurt! I got my braces on in August of 2011, so I was happy to get them off. Now I have to wear retainers for about 14 hours a day. The first time putting them on was bad, as I have a bad gag reflex, but it is actually pretty easy to wear and talk with on. The only annoying part is that I have take my retainers out anytime I want to eat, and then brush my teeth, brush my retainers, then put them back in! It keeps me from snacking as much (sigh)!
Braces On…
…Braces Off!
Happy Birthday To My Crazy Dog, Maggie!
My dog Maggie is almost 5 years old, and will turn so on April Fool’s Day (and it fits her personality!). My family got Maggie in May of 2009, who is very smart but also very goofy and lovable. By the way, she usually uses her smarts to get her into trouble! She is a German Shorthair, and is a bird dog. So, of course, she isn’t happy that we have chickens, and never gets tired of pointing at them and drooling over them! Her favorite toy is a ball, and it doesn’t matter what ball it is, just make sure it is round!! I recently realized that all her favorite things begin with b’s: balls, her bed, bones and biscuits. Well, this is our dog Maggie, who is lovable, loves balls, and her bed, and loves to play! Here are some of her best and funniest pictures!
Maggie In Her Bed And With Her Beloved Duck!
Maggie Looking For Her Bed (which is getting washed)
Is it in here?
I known it is in there!
Look what they did to me!
Look Away! Look Away!
Mrs. Goofy
Winking For The Camera
Come On Maggie! No Attitude!
You are embarrassing me!
It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! It’s Super-Maggie!
Ready To Use Her Powers!
To The Playoffs!
UConn will be hosting the AHA quarterfinals in their final year as an AHA member. They will host Robert Morris for the second straight year; they swept Robert Morris in the quarterfinals last year, 4-1 and 4-3. Below are some of the best and most dramatic memories of goals, saves, and plays of UConn’s 2011, 2012, 2013 AHA playoffs.
Jendras Scores!
Jendras’ Second Goal Of The Game
UConn Leads 4-2!
Stevie Bergin Makes It 1-0 In Game 2!
Schneider Makes It 2-0!
Janoz Scores Gamewinner/series-winner In OT!
Schneider Ties The Playoff Game!
Alex Gerke Scores The Overtime Gamewinner!
UConn Seals It; Takes 3-0 Lead
Ferris Gives UConn The 2-1 Lead!
Gerke Makes It 3-1!
Trevor Gerling Ties Game 2!
UConn Takes The Lead!
UConn Goes Up 3-1!
Regular Season Over: UConn Earns First Round Bye And #4 Seed!
Although UConn had some opportunities to get more points in the standings, the Huskies still capped another great regular season by finishing in the top four for the second straight year, and earned a first round bye for the third time in four years. On February 21st, 2014, UConn hosted Army on Senior Night. The night honored Brant Harris, Jordan Sims, Billy Latta, and Matt Grogan, in front of a sellout crowd. This group of seniors was the most influential in UConn hockey history, with both individual status, and team status. Sims and Harris both have over 100 carer points, and Latta currently has 98 career points, while Grogan made his impact when he led the UConn last year with a 14-4-3 record, and in his first year in net. In team success, this group of seniors led the Huskies out of the basement. UConn had only 7 wins in 2009-2010, but with the arrival of this group(and Cole Schneider, who went semi-pro) gave UConn a first round-bye, home-ice playoffs, and a trip to the semifinals, all in one year! The next year they acummalated 16 wins, and beat two top-20 teams, and last year they got a top four, first round-bye and again went to the semifinals. This year, the Huskies did it again; they got a #4 seed, a first round-bye, and home-ice for the quarterfinals and beat the #9 team in the nation during the regular season! Who knows what other things this group will help UConn accomplish in the playoffs this year; let’s hope something with the word Championship in it! I know they have the type of team that can do it this year! Ever since the entrance of these seniors, UConn hockey has done nothing but improve each year.
In the first period, UConn jumped on Army right away. Brent Norris scored on a wrist-shot through traffic to make it 1-0. Exactly five minutes later, Billy Latta came in close but his shot was blocked, only for Shawn Pauly to pick up the rebound and put it right below the crossbar to make it 2-0. Less than a minute later though, Army fired a shot that somehow fluttered by Matt Grogan, to make it a 2-1 game. Only four minutes later, Army scored to tie the game, on another lucky shot. An Army player skated into the blueline, and fired the puck, and it once again fluttered by Grogan. The score was 2-2 at the end of one period. Early in the second, Army would shockingly take the lead, 3-2, when they collected a rebound and put it into the wide open net. Only five minutes later though, Trevor Gerling would tie the game, when he collected a rebound and put it home. In the third period though Army would score the gamewinner and drop UConn heartbreakingly, 4-3! The Huskies, making the loss even more tough, scored two goals that didn’t count in the final period, and hit the crossbar and had 45 shots! The Huskies also fell into fifth place! The next game, the Huskies came out ready for revenge. Sean Gaffney scored early for the 1-0 lead, and Robby Nichols would make that lead last going into the third. Early in the third, Brant Harris’ assist would not only give UConn a 2-0 lead, but he made UConn hockey history by becoming the all-time Division 1 leader for the Huskies in career points. With less than two minutes to go though, Army would score on the extra-attacker to break up Nichols’ shutout hopes, but Harris would add to his career total on an assist on Patrick Kirtland’s empty-net goal for a necessary 3-1 win. This win would put the Huskies back in spot #4, thanks to a Robert Morris loss.
The next weekend, UConn played their final two regular season games of the year and their last two regular season games as Atlantic Hockey members. After a scoreless first period, the Pioneers struck first for a 1-0 lead, but the Huskies would respond with a Shawn Pauly goal to tie it. Then once again Sacred Heart would take the lead, but only 17 seconds later Patrick Kirtland would make a 2-2 game at the end of two. In the third, Sacred Heart would take the 3-2 lead, but Billy Latta would dramatically tie it with the extra-attacker with 28 seconds to go, forcing overtime. In OT, Billy Latta would offer the heroics again, scoring the overtime winner with 42 seconds remaining, sealing the overtime win and a top four seed, and a first round bye.
The next game was the regular season final, and unfortunately it was a different looking game. Sacred Heart went up early in the game and later extended the lead to 2-0 in the second. The Huskies finally get on the board when Brent Norris lit the lamp, but the Huskies couldn’t find the equalizer, in a tough 2-1 loss.
Despite this loss the Huskies still finished in the top four and got a #4 seed for the playoffs, a first round bye, and the opportunity to host the quarterfinals! They also matched a record of most confrence wins in a season, with 15 wins, matching the 2006-2007 mark! I’ll say it again, with the spirit and talent UConn has this year, they can win the championship in their final year as Atlantic Hockey members! All I can say is: Let’s go Huskies!
Norris Scores!
Pauly makes it 2-0!
Trevor Gerling ties the game!
Celebration in front of sellout crowd!